Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-03-18
A WlFE'S TRIALS.
nY MRS. II. N. BARFE1h.

@tI endow thee with all my earthly pos.
sessions. [ will love, cherish, ssand pro.
tect.' Yes. these are the exact words, and
I should like 10 know just What they are
intended to mean. OF why they are in the
ceremony at all. 1t seems to me a shame
fui anockery; a deliberate, wicked, almost
objectionable mockery to so solemnly re-
peat those words with no intention of try
ing to carry out the fulfllment of their
import. as I don't believe one man in a
hundred ever thinks of doing. The hum
rdredal man probably intends to fulfill his
solemn VOWS; but how in the world is he,
under such conditions, to brave it out
against, and force his way through, the in
ertia of common custom, I should like to
know" end Mrs. ClaSton's fair, handsome
hands worked more vigorously, as with all
indisnentenergy. AS they stitched away on
an eminous lent in the knee of a very
apaaiLpair of sailor-blue pants.
for afew minutes longer, then with gentle
touch and a determined air, she folded the
little garment and laid it aside, her hands
slightly trembling as she arranged the
yscrals, thread, and other contents of her
wera-bashet preparatory tc putting them
away.
She arose to her feet; her hand rested
firmly on the table, aud her breath came in
full, deep-drawn volumes as She stood for
some moments seemingly lost in deep
thought. Her handsome face was must
ally pale. and The tired look had deepcned
into TN understandable drawn look of min
gied pain. pathos, indignation, and determ-
nation. Tears stood in those large, soulful
claimed: 9TH not endure il any longer; 1
am wronging any precious little ones as we'll
as myself and him, making u slave of my
self III this unnecessary way. l feel that
my strength is fast giving way; my health
cannot hold out much longer: indeed. l am
far from well now. Ill hire Mary Smith
tomorrow"
With this decision, she gathered up her
mended garments. lifted her restless baby
from his crib and retired to snatch a few
hourssrostyere Che weary rounds of another
days duties should begin. to which was
added the extra labor of cooking for har-
for the past few days; besides the two older
babies, necessarially left more to them
selves, found more mischief with which to
amuse themselves. And it did seem MS if
there was nothing that they could not, in
some way. manage TO reach and pull down
or misplace.
Six years before. Walter Clayton, the
Adonis of oil the surrounding country, had
xooed and Won for his bride the magnifi-
Gently beautiful and intelligent Catharine
Ferguson, the principal in the high-school
of q small city. He loved her as devotedly
as the chivalIy of his stout, honest heart
would naturally prompt him TO do. He
was proud Of her many admirable qualities
the strength. the depth, the breadth, and
the beauty of her intellect, as we'll as the
charms Of her magnificent form and lovely
face, which was crowned with q wealth of
the most glorious waves of golden-brown
hair.
BY society she was considered rather
large, but to him she seemedsimply glandly
perfect.
Oh, with what pride-perhaps too exult-
ing pride-he carried her as his welded
bride tohis home to reign its dueen-ft to
grace q monarch's throne.
Walter Clayton was full of life, health,
strength, and ambition; ambition to gain
xealth and higher station in life, and
blessed with a clear conscience. He was
tho frst-bornsson Of a well-to-do farmer,
who hadbut recently been borne across the
dark, mystic waters of he river of death.
Tho estate had been settled, and Walter
was to pay a,stipulated sum to each of the
other heirs in consideration that he retain
the homestead as his. The O could
not all be paid at once, but a few years
good crops would relieve the obligations
very easily aid ada many contemplated
improvements 10 the already largest and
best managed farm i'll The community fol
many miles around. And now this noble
woman--his Wife-=with her great, generous
love, %capability, and good sense, would aid
him.
Her great scope of intellect could COM
,~~oH1nI n,,N no s,,,,a1,H klok aa o.l:
nary mind could not grasp.
Thus it was hat :Gllring the first year of
her marriage 4he old farmhouse, garden.
lawn, ETC., underwent many changes with
scarcely u seeming innovation on the sacred
old time construction, except the covering
up, smoothing out, Or Topping off a little
stain OR roughness here and there, adding
brightness gid harmony to all.
New d paper, carpets. curtains, and
numerouAAabiece of furniture, md many
other oddsAnd ends had been furnished;
neither had she asked her husband for the
means with which to provide these things.
selfish heart to be able to provide them ner-
self, and with them q little extra comfort
for her hard working, kind husband, out
of a small legacy of her own, and the
money shcfhad received as q salary fol
teaching in the city.
Sometimes she wished that he would
seem a little more pleased with her efforts;
but she found. q ready excuse in the fact
that Aa was always too much absorbed in
business to give much attention to house
hold matters. Yet, sometimes the yearn-
ing for q word, "a smile of appreciation,
would return.
She did not even know that he only con-
,sidercd her O sensible woman, doing only
1rbo Of xoo n uonoapsa Hut, IN do in lr;D r;oo
her little storeaGd furnishing comforts fol
her husband with it instead of layishing il
apon herself for dress.
She did not Ahtertain the faintest idea
Chat not the least spark of sentiment
lighted up his soul in contemplating the
benefits at her hand; that he only CON
sidered them as wifely duties, nothing
mere.
In her noble, womanly heart she could
uaA vet conceive the idea that i'll her hus-